Central High to celebrate heritage during Saturday night's hoop game | Events

Central High School will celebrate its heritage January 19 with an alumni gathering and event during the Boys Varsity Basketball game. 

The evening will include an Alumni Reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the basketball game at 7 p.m. During half time, the school will host its first-ever Walk of Champions -- a parade of championship trophies from throughout Central’s long history.

Central High School is the oldest, free public high school in continuous operation west of the Allegheny Mountains.  The announcement of the opening of the school, then called Evansville High School, is found in the Evansville Journal for August 15, 1854. The opening date was September 4, 1854.

Evansville High School opened with an enrollment of 17 students - 8 boys and 9 girls. The school started on a quarter system with new students entering the high school in January of 1855. The report at the end of the year states that the High School had a year-end enrollment of about 30.

LOCATIONS OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL*
1854 First and Chestnut Street
1855 Second Street between Main and Locust
1855 First and Vine Street
1855 Public School Building, Fourth Street, (Became Wheeler School)
1863 Second and Clark Street
1868 Sixth and Vine Street
1970 5400 First Avenue- Current Location (Students enrolled for 1971-72 school year)
*taken from a plaque in the front foyer of Central High School

Free tickets for the event are available for Central alumni. To register, contact Central Athletic Director Andy Owen, at 435-8295 or by email at andy.owen@evsc.k12.in.us.